Happily Ever After
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: He'd never seen a woman more beautiful than she. She'd never known a man as hopeful as he. A chance encounter and a promise long ago collide in the form of two perfect strangers & love at first sight. Fluff! Lemons! NarutoxShizuka! Based off episode 235!
1. Marriage!

**A/N: Weeeeeelll now! The world hasn't ended now, has it? No? Didn't think so! I just watched the 235th episode of Naruto Shippuden and all I have to say is this: NARUTO NO BAKA! If you do not know what I am talking about, than I strongly suggest that you watch said episode before reading this fic, else you will be supremely confused. You should be able to find it on Animefreak . tv or something. That being said, you have been warned! If you don't watch this episode then you will be hopelessly confused! Also, I may have...changed some aspects regarding the episode...and the ending XD**

**HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!**

_No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is won't make you cry._

_~Jiraiya._

**Marriage!**

Uzumaki Naruto was about to begin what would later be known as the most dangerous battle of his shinobi career. If he won_-and he REALLY didn't want to win-_then he would be married to a girl he'd never met before and taken back to her village. If he lost_-and he DEFINITELY didn't want to lose-_then his life would be rendered forfeit and she most likely would slay him on the spot for his failure to defeat her.

The girl in question was a kunoichi, hailing from the village of Nadeshiko.

The families of this village were organised through matrilineality. Meaning, women from this village must venture outside to find men strong enough to defeat them, resulting in them being taken to the village to marry the kunoichi they defeated. That would be Naruto's fate if he triumphed. And if he lost...well, he was dead. He didn't like either of those options! He couldn't become Hokage if he got _married,_ and he couldn't become Hokage if he got _dead,_ either! Both options sucked!

Thankfully, he hadn't come here to fight. He'd come to talk. Rather, that had been the plan. One that had gone horribly, terribly awry the moment he'd laid eyes on her. That, of course was not his fault! It was Ero-sennin's! The damned pervert and all the "research" they'd done together was slowly bubbling up in Naruto's mind, even as he tried his best to deny it. From what he'd been told, the women of Nadeshiko were beautiful. Exceptionally so.

And as he'd just found out, this kunoichi was no exception.

_Damn you Ero-Sennin!_

"I'm here to fight you." The hooded figure announced, reaching back to peel the cloak away from her face and body. "So I can see how strong you are." Naruto began to open his mouth, to say that he wasn't here to fight, but rather to talk, when the obstructive cloth fell away from her shoulders and laid her figure bare for all to see. _Damn._ Damn it all to hell! He tried to find the words, to say what he'd come her to say, that her village's rule was absolute bullshit. Instead, all he managed was a small, croaking sound. The kind of sound that a bullfrog might make.

_'Wow..._

She was a fair-skinned girl of average height and dark hair.

_...she's cute.'_

He took in the large eyes, perfectly coifed hair, clear skin, full lips, and lean, firm curves and he marveled at her. Hers was a beauty beyond describing, but, ultimately, it was the eyes that ensnared him him. Her eyes were large, twin pools of deep, verdant green, much unlike his own. Hers were eyes that knew pain, but at some point that pain had been taken to pieces; it had been dissected, dissasembled, examined from every angle, and then, summarily consumed.

_'Very cute!'_

Her attire was that of a common Nadeshiko Kunoichi uniform,which is grey-colored set with a right shoulder-armor, grey gloves, and opening in her shirt which, unfortunately, revealed something that he hadn't seen in a very long time. Once more, Naruto silently cursed his late mentor for instilling the ancient art of perversion in him. He really was turning out to be just like him, after all!

Despite all the majesty her eyes held, keeping his gaze focused upon her face was quickly proving to be a trial of its own, thanks in part to the open blouse and the glorious sight that lay within. Naruto felt his cheeks inexplicably darken as a result. Then he chastised himself with a shake of the head. He was a shinobi for crissakes! He should not be staring at such things! So why..._why _couldn't he stop staring at her...her...her...

"My eyes are _up here,_ Konoha Shinobi." The Nadeshiko kunoichi glowered darkly. "And make no mistake, we _will_ fight." Before he could protest, she'd armed herself with not one, but two full hands of kunai; the deadly projectiles already making their way through the air toward him and forcing Naruto to bound backwards in retreated.

_'Geh!'_

Oh yes, things had gone awry.

Terribly, totally awry!

Yamato-sensei was bound to realize he'd left a shadow clone aboard the ship at any moment. And once everyone realized that they'd been duped again, they'd be sure to rush back to the island and spirit him away before he could wrap things up. The prospect of facing his angry sensei was not a pleasing one to say the least. No time to mess around then._ I'll end this in an instant,_ he re-assured himself. He just needed a few seconds...

"W-W-Wait just a second!" Naruto cried loudly, flinging his hands up before the battle could commence and before Shizuka could strike him down. "I haven't prepared myself!"

Shizuka paused, taken aback by this sudden declaration. Incredulous at this interruption, her hand stayed by indecision, she lowered her weapon. Naruto breathed a heavy sigh of relief as she straightened out of her predatory stance.

"Prepared...yourself?"

"Yeah."

Exhaling deeply, Naruto dropped, falling into a folded crouch upon the forest floor. He forced his eyes shut. Willed himself to be calm. To sense the natural energy around him, and within him. He let the world and all of his worries fall away from him, just for a moment. For the briefest of instants, he was still. He was calm. Serene. And in that instant as he breathed in and out and in again, he was able to tap into the natural energies he required.

_Sage Mode._

He rose in one swift movement, his eyes gleaming and golden, much like that of the Toad Summons. Yellow irises, horizontal bar-like pupils, and reddish-orange pigmentation around the eyes; bearing the true signs of a sage, he rose and took on a taijutsu stance.

"Alright," He began softly, "Let's do this."

"So you've finally prepared youself?"

"Yup."

Twelve seconds later, and it was over.

* * *

><p>He'd won of course. Oh, there had been an intrusion, but the fool had been pitifully weak and as such, he was easily defeated. But in the end, he simply refused to deliver the final blow to Shizuka. He'd never been interested in a duel to begin with, or so he'd argued. But for some reason, he just didn't have it in him to mention that he held feelings for his teammate, Sakura. Because, quite frankly, he'd been doubting those feelings for quite some time now. His little scuffle with Shizuka had been the lynchpin for him too, and he'd since begun to wonder if he was just fooling himself. He knew that Shizuka had also loved someone once as well, and subsuquently locked her heart away after that someone had been slain. She too, knew what it was like to have loved and lost. Perhaps...<p>

But that was another matter for another time. For now, he returned to his musings of how everything had somehow worked out in the end.

After an encouraging and much needed pep talk_-and a tongue lashing from Yamato-_they'd resumed their journey once more. Naruto had bid Shizuka farewell at the docks, as cordially as one might expect of a Konoha shinobi. Now, he waited at the stern of the ship, waving goodbye even when he was certain that she could no longer see him. After what felt like hours and with a visible act of willpower, Naruto forced himself to lower his hand.

"So that's it, huh?"

As Naruto watched the island recede into the distance, as he watched it become little more than a pinprick of brilliance on the horizon, he couldn't help but wonder. Would she heed his advice? And if so where would she go now? Where would her newfound journey take her? Would he ever see her again? Unlikely. Oddly enough this thought brought, not relief as he'd hoped it might, but despair. His eyes began to sting, bringing but the faintest sheen of moisture to his eyes. A tear slipped through. _A tear._ Naruto blinked, a balking at them as they ran down his cheeks.

_Damn_.

Despite all that he'd said and done, he really was going to miss Shizuka, wasn't he? The thought caused Naruto to bite down, his molars grinding against each other in a rare bout of anger.

"The sea breeze feels nice today, doesn't it?" A soft voice asked from somewhere beside him.

"It sure does." Naruto nodded to himself absentimindedly. "I think I'm going to miss it, though. And her, too."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah." The blond jinchuuriki sighed, resting his head within a palm. Then he groaned. "Arrrrrgh! This sucks! Why am I thinking about this now!"

"Could it be that you were actually thinking of marrying her?"

"I dunno...maybe?" Naruto shrugged, still spacing out at the flat surface of the sea. "But its too late for that now. I mean, what would she say if I even asked her?" A sheepish chuckle. "I'll tell you what she'd say! She'd probably laugh it off right in my face!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." The voice insisted.

"Sure, whatever...

_Wait a second._

Naruto blinked, drawn from his reverie by the slight hesitation with which the voice had spoken. The faint sticking point between syllables was awfully familair. Wait. Wait one free-frickin second!

He _knew_ that voice.

Slowly, Naruto came about, the sights and sounds of the sea briefly proving to be too much for him. He squinted through sleep-gummed eyes to see, to finally _see _a hand resting lightly over his own. Attached to the hand was a wrist, to the wrist, an arm and, as his gaze traced the length of said appendage, he found himself staring into the most eerie pair of brilliant, jade green eyes.

_Jade._

The thought sparked something in him; the faintest of tingling sensations, and of remembrance. Who was it that had eyes like that, again? For a moment, shock numbed him; for a moment, he couldn't believe his eyes nor his ears, nor any of his other senses, all of which were screaming at him, insisting that this was, in fact:

_"Shizuka!"_

**A/N: BWAHAHAHA! You're not losing your "wife" that easily, Naruto-kun! Sorry if its short! The next chapter will be much longer, and will, of course, get too meet Killer Bee and begin Naruto's training in earnest! It ought to be interesting, now that he has a bride-to-be, wouldn't you agree? Hope you liked it! I try to stay true to their personalities and I think this came out quite well!**

**R&R! =D**


	2. Commitment Part I

**A/N: YO! I'm finally feeling better after that dang-blasted surgery! I'm going to be just fine! And with that being said, let us continue onward with the next chapter and a much needed update! Consider this a teaser of sorts, as I get the blood pumping in this marvelous story once more! After reading all of your reviews and Pm's, after being inundated with wonderful ideas, I'm ready to start updating again!**

**Here we go!**

_My love for you is like a rose... strong and forever. _

_~Shizuka._

**Commitment (Part I)**

_"Shizuka!" _

Naruto _yelped, _flattening himself against the rail as though he'd seen a ghost. Which, given the circumstance of Shizuka's sudden appearance aboard their ship, was quite the possibility. If he and Yamato-taichou ahd only just bid her farewell, then why was she here! So what was she doing here! She wasn't supposed to be here! She was _supposed_ to be on the island with Tokiwa-san! Not on board their ship and scaring the living daylights outta him!

How on earth had she managed to sneak onto their vessel without being detected, anyway! Had he been so unfocused that he'd been unable to sense her approach? Or was it to be attributed to her own skills as a shinobi? Naruto didn't know whether to be impressed or embarassed. Eventually he settled on the latter.

"Sh-Shizuka-chan..w-what're you doing here, ya know?"

"Just now...you said 'chan' to me, didn't you?" the heiress of Nadeshiko inquired of him.

_"Geh!"_

...I liked it."

Naruto nearly fell over.

"Huh?"

The green-eyed kunoichi met Naruto's gaze evenly, the smallest of smiles adjourning her lips as the blond genin stammered and spluttered before her. Much to his dismay, that smile did not lessen in the slightest. Quite the contrary. it only grew. Her face began to brighten considerably, her cheeks dusted with the lightest pink flush as he did his best to comprehend this sudden conundrum.

"I said I liked it."

This time Naruto really _did_ fall over.

_"Huh?"_

Shizuka burned as red as rose.

"I...um...well, you see...that is to say...

Naruto shook his head. He'd come to terms with Shizuka sneaking aboard their vessel. He could not, however, comprehend her reason for it. He'd left her at the harbour, and she'd seemed perfectly content to stay there. He hadn't expected her to follow them, least of all to stow aboard.

"Shizuka...what the hell are you doing here?" Naruto finally asked the one question he was dying to have answered.

It was the wrong question.

"Excuse me?"

The kunoichi's face crumpled, her hopeful expression narrowing into something somewhere between anger and disbelief. Yup, definitely the wrong question! Naruto braced for a slap, but when none came, he slowly forced his body to relax; to unclench, and his eyes to meet her gaze. What he found their genuinely frightened him. Shizuka had a aura the kind that women got when they knew you were up to no good.

"Are you saying you _don't_ want me here?" she asked, her words deadly soft.

Naruto's face darkened and he stiffened all in one breath. Blushing, he turned away from the Nadeshiko kunoichi. What to say? And how to say it? It wasn't that he _didn't_ want her here. Nor was he exactly pleased to see her. He was torn between the latter and the former and leaning toward neither. But Naruto couldn't just say it out loud. He'd since learned that lesson_-painfully-_at the hands of Haruno Sakura. Women had the tendency to misinterperet words in the blink of an eye. Best to be wary. Choose his words careful and slowly. Naruto was on thin ice at the moment and he knew it.

One false step and he would fall through.

"Well?" Shizuka's emerald eyes_-so unlike Sakura's-_pinnioned him with a gaze. "Do you want me here or not, Naruto? If not then, I'll gladly leave." Her words wavered towards the end, and her lower lip trembled ever so slightly. Inwardly, Naruto groaned. So much for the evil eye. Oh well. He was going to tell her straight up.

He took a deep breath and said,

"Shizuka...I...

Ah, screw it!

_...don't want you to leave."_ Naruto finished, his face burning. He steeled himself against what he was certain would be a violent outburst, but yet again the Nadeshiko kunoichi proved herself worthy of the title. Instead of violently lashing out-as Sakura would have-Shizuka blinked, her eyes flying wide open. Her hands flew likewise, flocking to her face to stifle the small squeak of surprise that promptly emerged from her lips.

"You...want me to stay?" She sounded as surprised as he felt. "Truly?" Naruto blinked as she reached forward and took his hands in her own. They were a perfect fit. As if she had been destined to hold them_-easy there tiger!_ His sex drive needed a serious smacking down. _Damn you Ero-Senin! I blame you for this!_ The Sage continued to corrupt his disciple with these pervy ways even after death!

"I feel the same." Shizuka began earnestly. "I didn't want to leave, but I was afraid you'd send me away-

_"What's going on out here, Naruto?"_

Naruto froze as the hatch tore itself open.

"Uh-oh."

Apparently, his startled cries had drawn the attention of Aoba, Guy and Yamato-sensei. Naruto felt the life leaching from his face as the watched the three jounin emerge from below decks. _I'm finished,_ he thought to himself. _I'm done for._ It was over. He was doomed! There was no way he could explain the situation away not under the scrutiny they would doubtlessly provide. _Gah!_ He swore a blue streak, _Here they come..._

"Shizuka-san?" Yamato blinked upon recognizing the kunoichi. "What are you...doing here?" Oh crap. Shizuka had yet to release her grip on Naruto's hands and finally Yamato had noticed. And of course, he misinterpreted the situation horrifically.

"So _this_ is why you snuck away before," Yamato began slowly, with his eyes of doom. "This is the third time you've fooled with me with shadow clones." If anything, his visage of death and doom became even more terrifying than before. "Naruto...I hope you're prepared for the consequences of smuggling her onboard our ship...

"I came aboard of my own free will." Shizuka interrupted, saving Naruto from Yamato's death face when she finally released his hands. "My arrival was unexpected and Naruto-kun did not participate in in the slightest." The blonde's relief was palpable. He was going to live!

_Nice save, Shizuka!_

Aoba, ever the peacekeeper, tried to reason with the girl.

"That may be so, Shizuka-san, but we're on an important assignment. Perhaps it would be best if you...

_"I refuse!"_ The Nadeshiko kunoichi snapped back, reasserting herself before the Jonin could get a word in edgewise. "Naruto-kun is to be my betrothed! It is my solemn duty as his fiance to stand by his side, especially in matters such as these!"

Naruto fought the urge to bury his face in his hands.

_I take it back!_ _Not a nice save, Shizuka! Not nice at all!_

"F-Fiance?" Yamato's left eye twitched. "You mean...?"

"Bwahahaha!" Might Guy laughed, making things even worse than before. "So you've decided to marry her after all! How incredibly youthful of you, Naruto-kun! I see that the wily ways of Lord Jiraiya are alive and well in his student!" Of all the times to miracuously recover from his sea-sickness he chose now to do it!

"I didn't decide anything!" Naruto wailed. "And don't drag Ero-senin into this!"

He cast a furtive glance at his companion.

"Will you _please_ just explain to them what your bodyguard explained to me?"

"Very well, though there is precious little to explain." Shizuka said. "You defeated me in pitched combat, and I am to be your wife, as dictated by the law of my village and the promise made between my mother and the late Lord Jiraiya." She gave each of the jounin a scathing glare in turn. "Our marriage will form an alliance between our vilage, just as they intended and may very well create peace between both our villages. Do you plan to deny Nadeshiko that?"

There was a silence.

"Ah." Aoba slapped a fist into an open palm. "So that's how it is."

"Its not like that!" Naruto protested.

"Doesn't seem like there's anything we can do." Yamoto shrugged, eerily and perpetually calm, and still with the death face. "You've made your bed, Naruto. Now you have to lie in it with your beautiful fiance." Naruto knew his sensei's hands were tied, but it did little to sate his ire.

_"Traitor!"_

"May your marriage be blessed and youthful upon our return!" Gai laughed, still somehow immune to his dreaded sickness of the sea. "Until then you're more than weclome to travel with us on our youthful adventure, Shizuka of Nadeshiko!"

_"Aargh!"_

Shizuka smiled and graced each of the Jounin with a courteous bow.

"I'm in your care, then."

Shizuka looked into his eyes and deep within his eyes was something that made her want to gibber like a madwoman. It was like staring at the night sky after learning for the first time that the stars were not pinpricks in the raiment of heaven, but each its own sun, billions of leagues distant. To stare into the eyes of this boy-no to stare into the eye of this _man_ was to realize how small one was.

It made her smile as she tucked an arm within his. He truly was a shinobi befitting of her husband-to-be. He was kind, caring, compassionate, and most of all, strong. While it remained to be seen if his strength was truly superior to her own, she looked forward to the opportunity of getting to know her fiance. She knew so little of him and was eager to learn more of him and his past. She would accept him, no matter what burden he bore nor painful past he'd shared. As his fiance, as his wife, Shizuke swore to herself that she would always accept him. Now and forever and always.

Naruto, well, he wasn't quite so enthusiastic about the prospect of marriage.

"Don't _I_ have any say in this?" he begged.

"Not at all!" Yamato said with that eerie look of his. "None whatsoever!"

Naruto groaned.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?

**A/N: FEAR YAMATO'S DEATH FACE! Oh man! Its been too long since I've updated. That being said, I apologize for the shortness. My painkillers are hampering my ability to write. Even so, I hope you all enjoyed the slew of updates I've provided leading up to President's Day. =D That being said, many more are to come! Just as soon as I can walk around without being doped up on pain pills. **

**Next chapter we'll get to see Killer Bee, Dark Naruto, and some much needed romance between Naruto and Shizuka! I can't wait till Kushina finally gets to meet Shizuka in the seal...**

**I'm very pleased that this story seems to be a hit with most people. I also want to thank those readers who take the time to leave a review for the tale. They're very helpful in letting me know how the story is progressing with all of you. And they really do assist an author out in knowing what people like about a story. Thanks again to everyone for all of your support.**

**R&R!**


	3. Commitment Part II

**A/N: WOW! I had no idea this fic was so popular! Ninety-Four reviews and counting! I'm so glad all of you like where I'm taking this story. And on another, entirely random note...CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW MESSED UP KABUTO'S PAST IS? Unbelievable! I won't say anything more on it for the sake of spoilers, but I seriously suggest you read the latest chapter. I can't help but feel sorry for him now...**

_"Any burden of yours...is mine to bear."_

_~Shizuka._

**Commitment (Part II)**

Uzumaki Naruto was doomed.

_Doomed!_

Doomed to a life of torment and suffering. Doomed, to languish with the abyss forevermore. _Doomed!_ Not only did he have to contend with a rampant kitsune in his stomach, not only was he forced into this mission when his village needed him the most, _not only_ was he trapped on this god-forsaken boat with three jonin babysitters, but there was something worse than that. Wose than all three of those factors combined. There was a _fourth_ problem awaiting him aboard the kumogakure vessel, one not so easily rectified by guts or strength alone.

Because it was currently clinging to his arm.

"Naruto?" a soft, feminine voice asked of him. "You do know where we're going, don't you?"

"Not really, no." He sweatdropped, hazarding a glance at the woman responsibe for his woe.

_Shizuka of Nadeshiko._

Naruto peered through the fog at his soon-to-be fiance and bit back a sigh. Shizuka was indeed beautiful. A tad clingy perhaps, but beautiful. Strong, too. Oh, and she didn't hit him, either. Honestly, she was starting to look like a no brainer when compared to Sakura. But why _oh why_ did he have to marry her? He wanted to get to know her at the very least! Maybe go on a few dates, tell each other their likes and dislikes, their dreams and whatnot, that sort of thing. Not marry her outright! He barely knew anything about her as it was!

"So, where is this octopus you mentioned?" his fiance asked, dragging the genin from his reverie.

"Dunno." Naruto shrugged, calling the memory to mind, reflecting on the prophecy. "It's supposed to help guide me, so...

So what?

Apparently, he was destined to fight a man with strong eyes. That part made sense, even to Naruto. Strong eyes. Sasuke, of course. But what about the rest of this crap? He couldn't bring himself to understand a word of it beyond what he'd been told by that old croaker! According to the old frog he was supposed to be looking for an octopus? At least, that was what the geezer had tod him. _You will soon be meeting an octopus._ Those were his words, to the letter. Any initial excitement the boy might have felt at the prospect of meeting said octopus was greatly diminished in the wake of the knowledge that he'd soon be married without any say in the matter. Perhaps that wasn't quite right. He _did_ have two options in that regard.

He could break things off with Shizuka, right here, right now, and in doing so, risk her wrath and that of her village. He'd also look like a complete and total asshole for dumping her out of the blue; because in her eyes_-not to mention his own-_that was just plain cowardice. Scorning someone, solely because you were afraid to get to know them; because you were terrified of the unknown, terrified of what the future might bring, scared out of your mind by the prospect that you might actually like them, of what _might_ happen should you ever get to know them...

And then there was the second option. He could let things stay as they were; once he finished his mission, according to Shizuka, he'd be ushered back home in preparation for the wedding ceremony. And by "home" she meant Nadeshiko. Not Konoha. He'd spend the rest of his days in a village comprising mostly of women, doomed, to forever let his dream of becoming Hokage languish in the darkness, forevermore.

"Is there a problem?" Yamato appeared out of nowhere, sporting his deadly eyes of doom.

"N-Not at all!"

Shizuka bristled.

"Na-ru-to...

"Gah!"

No matter what he did, he was totally screwed!

"I'm sure there's no mistake about meeting some to guide me...

"Please start preparing to disembark soon." the Kumo jounin said.

"Oh, I can see the island!" one of their konoha escorts called.

"No kidding!" Naruto sprinted up to the bow for a better look.

He'd expected sunshine and butterflies. A land filled with sunshine and peace. Not this. Nota a teeming mass of spiky rocks jutting out before them, encompassing his entire vision. Naruto sweatdropped as he took it in, the massive creatures, the dead bones, the scent of death, permeating in the air. This was the island? This was the supposed paradise?

"It's like the Hidden Leaf's Forest of Death." the Kumogakure nin commented behind him. "But this is a bit more extreme."

_No kidding!_

"This...is a resort?" Shizuka gawped.

"Don't worry, its safe." The jonin reassured her. "As long was we don't provoke them, the animals are quite docile. Except for one."

"Except for one what?"

"What part of this place is a paradise!" Naruto exclaimed aghast, throwing his hands into the air. _Liars!_ Deceivers, the lot of them! This was no paradise! It was the exact opposite of paradise! It worse than the forest of death! Ten times as worse! So distraught was he that he nearly missed their guide's warning, nearly missed the mention of the one creature of whom they needed to be warry.

"For one that lives along the shore...

At that very moment something beyond the deck began to stir. Large, grasping feelers slithered through the sea toward them, creeping up upon the boat. Wrapping around the boat, creeping toward the deck, slowly as a certain blond finally took notice of

"Huh? Octopus tentacles!" Naruto grinned, mistaking the tentacles for those of an octopus.

"Naruto," Shizuka began with trepidation, "I really don't think that's...

"Okay, octopus! Come and guide me!"

"Naruto, this is actually...

As one the tentacles struck, lashing the water beneath their vessel.

_...a squid!"_

"It's here!" The Kumogakure jonin screamed, scrambling backwards like a drunken spider. "I was just about to warn you that he's the one you have to be careful about, but he appeared before I could!"

"Eh!"

"One, two, three...

"It's obvious without counting its tentacles!" now it was Yamato's turn to berate the jinchuuriki for his absurd behavior. "Come on, Naruto!" No sooner had he spoken than the boat shook, gushing water onto the deck and nearly washing them overboard.

"But-

"Naruto!" Shizuka shouted! "Listen to your sensei, why don't you!"

"But we should make sure!" Naruto insisted, holding up his hands. "A squid has ten legs, right? An octopus has eight. If this is the octopus who's going to help guide me..." He never did get to finish that sentence. Because at that very instant, before he could argue in defense of their attacker, the squid saw him. Now, Naruto must've looked particularly odd with his orange and black jumpsuit, amidst a sea of blue and green and otherwise drab colors. Naturally, the squid decided to grab the most colorful thing on deck. In other words, Naruto.

"Look out!"

Before the tentacle could wrap around his waist however, he found himself violently thrust aside. Shizuka had time only to blink before the tentacle wound its way around her waist and ripped her off the deck. Shrieking her surprise, she found herself hauled into the air, dangled upside down before the horrifying monster. Arms pinned, she wriggled uselessly as it leered up at her, tugging at her lithe body her with long slimy tentacles a moment longer before abruptly plunging one of them beneath her mesh shirt. Despite all her training, the kunoichi screamed in embarassment as she found herself violaed.

"W-Where do you think you're sticking that!" Shizuka flushed, thrashing violently as the surly squid tore at het attire. "Let me go this instant!"

"Shizuka!"

Naruto, despite the trickle of blood leaking out of his nose_-oh if only Ero-senin could be here to see this!-_leapt to the woman's aid. Fiance or no, he wasn't about to let anyone be molested by some perverted octopus! A low growl left his lips, his eyes flashing crimson as he raised his hand. Even as he realized he'd entered sage mode without so much as an iota of concentration even as his body understood he'd successfully, summoned a rasenshuriken with only a_ single hand and no shadow clones,_ he'd already flung ung the deadly missile at the beast's head.

The result was as immediate as it was wonderous.

By some misbegotten stroke of luck, the Rasenshuriken flew straight and true, despite the churning seas summoned by the squid's tentacles. Whisking past the captive Shizuka, it impacted the surly squid with a titanic shriek of compressed air and chakra, shaving off a massive chunk of the beast's flesh. The squid howled in agony and renewed its attempts to destroy the ship. But the scope of destruction did not end there. The lethal projectile swung back around, shearing through seven of its ten limbs, before it finally dissipated, and fortunately_-or unfortunately depending on the viewpoint-_one of those limbs just so happened to be the one holding Shizuka captive in its cruel clutches.

Freed from the perverted creature, the kunoichi's limp form was sent spiraling downward, left to plunge into the sea's tumultuous embrace, left drown as the squid thrashed about in raw agony. And, she most certainly would have, had not Naruto erupted into motion. Streaking across the water's surface with a speed that would've made his father blanch; registering as little more than an orange-black blur in the eyes of his comrades, the shinobi hurtled forward, plunging into the depths after her his beloved.

_'Don't you dare.'_ Was his only thought, strange as it was as he dove into the frigid depths. _'Don't you dare die on me!'_

_There!_

With a violent butterfly kick the genin sent himself hurtling toward Shizuka as she sank, scooping her frail form into his arms and holding her close. Bubbles leaked from his nose as he cast an earnest glance toward the surface, toward at the boat; the vesself was being torn to pieces by the squid's maddened frenzy. No. He thought as his laden legs struggled to push the two of them upward as the energies of Sage Mode began to fade away, leaving them alone in the darkened depths. No! he thought as his lungs began to burn, his legs thrusting frantically back and forth.

Bu the current was strong. He felt himself twisted; turned upside down, struggling to hold onto the kunoichi in his arms. Then his head breached the surface. He gulped down a mouthful of air before the current had a chance to drag him under again. Now the water was pressing on every side, tight and constricting. Some part of him marveled that he was still alive. He counted the seconds, and at fourteen seconds, his lungs were already burning.

The pain was nothing, he told himself.

_'No!'_

His back scraped against a rock and suddenly the pain was undeniable. The air was pressing its way up his throat, begging for release. It hammered at him. Just a little release, just a little. Abruptly, all forward motion ceased. The shock of it made him open his eyes. Hot, sour water attacked his eyes and he coughed. An enormous bubble of life-giving air rushed from his lungs.

Gasping, choking as the last of his life-giving air escaped his throat.

_**NO!**_

Golden eyes flared red, then a pallid orange, twisting into a strange, cross-shaped iris as the pure energies of sage mode found themselves tainted by the malevolent energies of the kyuubi's chakra. Brought on by such fury, an all-consuming rage, he could feel the water begin boil around him, heated bubbles fleeing his changing form and escaping to the surface, as his features darkend, sharpened, became increasingly feral. He didn't care. Naruto. Didn't. Care. With the last of his strength he kicked forward, swallowing seawater before it could choke him.

The water was hot, stinging hot.

He had less than a lungful of air and he wasn't going to make it another twenty seconds. His lungs burned. He surrendered and breathed. Scalding water poured into his lungs, drowning out all sense of self_–followed by air._ The blond coughed and the hot, acrid stuff shot from his nose and mouth. It seared his sinuses, but a moment later, sweet, cool air replaced it. He found his footing upon the water with chakra-coated heels and the sudden stirring against his chest caused him to blink. He hazarded a glance down at Shizuka, cradling her limp form as her head lolled against his chest, _against his chest_ as the waves threatened to overwhelm him, as the squid thrashed madly about. And then

Naruto didn't known when or why it happened; because suddenly the squid was down, clutching at its shattered face.

Power still seared through every synapse, filling him with an overwhelming surreal sense of calm. He gathered himself for a mighty leap and, almost before he knew it, he found himself on solid ground. The deck gave a sickening lurch beneath his feet as he laid Shizuka down and checked for a pulse. Finding none, he immediately began performing compressions upon her chest. Some small part of him blanched at this, realizing he was touching her breasts, but but he roared at it and it retreated into a corner, cowering. When she was breathing again, then he would be embarrassed. Not now not now as he frantically forced her heart to beat, as all the the considerable strength of his body focused upon resuscitating the girl for whom he'd slowly come to care.

Dimly, he became aware of the voices, speaking all around him: Yamato, Gai, Aob, the Kumo shinobi. Terrified by his blazing orange eyes, by the eerie chakra surrounding his body. By the rage and the bloodlust barely kept at bay by his faltering willpower. Not yet. He silently pleaded as his soul began to falter. Not yet.

**Give in.** The fox cackled, red overtaking the orange, warping his features. **Submit to me.**

_Stop it. _He begged._ Not now. Not yet..._

**You have no choice! Submit!**

Rage filled him again, crimson clouds blurring and warping his vision until the ship seemed at the bottom of a storm red sea. He shoved it aside and focused upon the girl beneath him, upon her limp face and her mouth compressed into a thin line. Unmoving, _unbreathing_ as he lowered his lips to hers and desperately breathed life into her body. Once. Twice. Thrice. Pinching her nose each time, frantic to force some semblance of health back into her broken body, he continued the compressions for what felt like hours, though it might've only been minutes as the squid thrashed about. He had no way of knowing whether his efforts were successful, such were his fears as he feverishly breathed into her mouth. _Air._ Into her lungs...

And then Shizuka started coughing.

Water erupted from her lungs and splashed across the deck, splashed across his face as her eyes flew wide open. Gasping, sputtering, she struggled to rise, only to flop down upon the deck like a fish. She searched the faces gathered before her before finally fixating upon her rescuer. Upon Naruto. Recognition flashed through eyes, and then, to his disbelief, they narowed in horror.

"Naruto?" She managed, gawping up at his blazing orange eyes.

"Don't ever scare me like that again." his words were soft, but deadly.

"I-

"Never again!"

_"Alright."_

To his disbelief, Shizuka did not cringe aiside. Instead, she nodded. Pused herself up onto her elbows. Took hold of his face and gently _ever so gently_ pulled it down to meet hers. For the first time in his life_-disregarding a certain incident with the last Uchiha-_Uzumaki Naruto felt his body lock up. His brain simply ceased to comprehend what was happening. His body, refused to respond.

_Blue_ eyes fluttered open and shut with all the rapidity of a humming bird's wings. She'd kissed him. Kissed him! Beneath his whiskered cheeks the slow flushing of his skin was like a burning forest fire. With trembling fingers he pulled her into an embrace, frightened by his own behavior. When she'd fallen into the sea he'd been so...frightened. He knew she could handle herself, yet even so, his body refused to accept it. Refused to allow her to be placed in harms way. Just as his arms refused to release her now as she reached up for him. She placed a hand against his cheek, cupping his face her hands, looking up at him with awe and adoration.

"I'm sorry, Naruto." she whispered, softly, her lips brushing against his own with every word. "I won't frighten you like that anymore."Naruto nodded mutely, unable to form the words. Only twenty-foud hours ago he'd found himself engaged to this enigmatic woman. Now, less than a day later, he found himself saving her from certain peril. He daren't turn to look back at his sensei. He could feel, Yamato-taichou's shock and disbelief, emanating from the jonin in waves. He'd intended this marriage as a punishment for Naruto. Not a present.

He hadn't been expecting this sudden bout of heroics. Then again, neither had Naruto. He'd simply reacted.

And as a reward for rescuing the damsel in distress...

That someone had just kissed him on the lips. And though he'd never admit it aloud, he'd rather liked that kiss. So much so that he found himelf leaning in for another, capturing the lips of the Nadeshiko kunoichi for a second and when she pulled away, a third time. There was nothing shy or tentative about these kisses and nothing held back Shizuka all but _melted _into his arms with each one her hands snaking around his neck, body cleaving against him eyes sliding shut as she pushed herself up from the deck in an effort to better reach his lips; seeking the hands stroking her hair, tenderly caressing the dip of her waist.

"Naruto-kun...

The way she said-whimpered!-his name sent a silent shiver up his spine. He'd never kissed a girl before. Never had one whimper his name in utter delight. He couldn't even begin to describe the power it gave him, nor the confidence he felt as he held the Nadeshiko kunoichi in his arms. And then, as if to remind the pair of their...situation, a migty laugh erupted from behind them.

"How very youthful of you, Naruto-kun, Shizuka-chan!" Maito Guy declared, having suddenly recovered from his seasickness. "Your flames of youth burn most brightly!"

_Of all the rotten timing!_

The pair broke apart, and Naruto opened his mouth to reply-

Only to flop forward as the squid's remaining tentacles latched around the boat and began to pull. Rage erupted across his every feature, eyes flaring as the pent up anger he'd worked so hard_-so very hard-_to control came welling up through the cracks to overwhelm him.

"You **_son of a bitch!"_** The genin roared as he rounded on the squid, eyes blazing, voice black as pitch. **"I'll rip your motherfucking tentacles off and shove them up your fucking ass!"**

"I warned him about this!"

Yamato began flipping through hand seals, but before either shinobi could lend them their aid, the boat shook as the sea erupted a second time, bursting before the arrival of another monster of the deep. A massive red fist rocketed from the churning sea and drove into squid's face, sending it sprawling across the waters with force and velocity. Naruto balked, his rage forgotten, his new power fading in the wake of the new arrival. Was this another enemy? Another foe to be dispatched?

Naruto felt his eyes bulge-he was certain they'd fall out of his head-as he watched a ghastly creature rise from beneath the waves. Bearing the humanoid upper torso of a man but with the head of an ox and body of an wait a second...was that an octopus?! A giant ox with the legs of an octopus, rising from the sea, pummeling what was left of the giant squid.

"Squid go deviate...the rest I abbreviate!" the ox-octopus hybried declared loudly.

"What the-

"Here comes another one saying weird puns!"

"This is so confusing!"

...six, seven, eight...aha!" Naruto exclaimed, falling back to the deck in disbelief. "It's an octopus! This one _is_ an octopus!"

"Is it really an octopus?" Yamato asked.

"I think its an octopus." Aoba murmured.

"It is an octopus!" Shizuka comically each of the jonin across the head. "We've established this already!"

"Killer Bee-sama!"

"Killer Bee?" Yamato twitched. "Then this octopus is...

"Y'all are late, ya fools, ya fools!"

Shizuka froze, her head turning in the direction of the voice as a single tentacle alighted upon the deck. She shuddered, half-hiding herself behind Naruto. Not that he blamed her. Given what she'd just experienced, an her lack of clothing, he'd very little doubt she had any desire to associate herself with tentacles every again.

The tentacles retracted from whence they came, dissolving into the body of a tan, musclebound man bearing the Kanji for 'iron' upon his right shoulder. Dark, shaded glasses obscured his eyes and whatever else might have lurked behind those shades. Strapped to his back, bound in bandages, was a blade he'd seen once before. _Samehada._ The blade formerly wielded by Hoshigaki Kisame of the Akatsuki. How had he come to wield a weapon like that?

"It changed into a human?" Yamato guffawed.

"Hey, ya know Octopops, thanks!"

"Ya know?" The man blinked at that, then promptly consulted a small notebook.

"Wha?"

"Will we clash or be a smash? If I dare say, it'll be a no-go, whee! I'm a brat hatin' outlaw...yeah!"

"What's with this beefy guy in shades, singing lame puns at the top of his lungs?" Naruto asked aloud, sweadropping. "Is this geezer really octopus who's supposed to guide me?"

"They're not puns." Their guide insisted. "It's his original style, a combination Enka singing to a rap beat. Enka rap!"

"Enka rap?"

Looking at the man, Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he was really going to receive guidance from this man. He stole a glance back at Shizuka, felt her hand clasp his own, fingers lacing tightly against his own. There could be no describing the relief he felt as she looked at him, as she smiled. Her lips graced his cheek a half instant later. Stirred by the sudden display of passion, his fellow jinchuuriki felt the sudden urge to compse a melody, right then and there.

"Yo!" Killer-Bee rapped, thrusting a finger imperiously toward a wide-eyed Shizuka. "Da brat's got a woman on his arm! Sexy, lovely, full a' charm! Better watch what you say 'for yo come to harm! Weeeee-

_**WHAM!**_

Half a second later, Killer Bee found his face intimate with the deck in a way no self-respecting shinobi desired, simultaneously nursing a rising welt upon his skull. Smiling dangerously, hand clutched into a fist, Shizuka Nadeshiko gracefully returned to Naruto's side as though nothing happened. As though she hadn't singlehandedly knocked out the eight-tailed jinchuuriki with a single punch. In that area alone she clearly exceeded the blonde's teammate, Sakura, of whom he found himself thinking less and less...

"Remind me not to invite him to the wedding."

Naruto blanched at her words.

In the heat of the moment, he'd forgotten all about it. Saving her, kissing her, he'd essentially cemented his fate. The marriage, too! Any chance he had of backing out with his pride intact was gone. Short of making an complete and utter buffoon of himself, he was trapped. Doomed to be married to a girl he barely knew...a girl with whom he now found himself quite smitten. But he still, didn't want to get married! He didn't want to go to Nadeshiko and give up his dream of becoming hokage! Which was precisely his fate once this training was over.

_'I'm doomed.'_ He told himelf. _'Doomed! And yet..._

She squeezed his hand, and the gesture was warm as lava glow.

_...why am I so terrified?'_

For the first time since he'd met Shizuka, the nine-tailed demon container was suddenly afraid. Very afraid. Not of her power, nor her strength, but of losing her. She evoked feelings in him he'd never known, never felt before. He wanted to know more. He wanted to get to know her. He just didn't want to marry her yet, damnit! He wasn't ready for...well, _that._ And that, came after marriage! And after marriage and after _that_ came the second subject he feared more than anything in the world. If he married Shizuka he'd be expected to raise a...a family with her.

A family!

"Welcome, everyone! I've been waiting for you!"

Naruto never heard Motoi's words, never heard the greeting given to them.

Why, you ask?

_Because he'd already fainted._

**A/N: Alright, I LIED. I realized some character development was needed before we go galavanting full offf into controlling the Kyuubi. This chapter demonstrated the power of that. Love. Love for her, for Shizuka was enough to make Naruto go berserk and briefly retain control for that, Kyuubi! Don't mess with Shizuka! She's a TRUE kunoichi! Not a thing like the half-assed rookie nine back in Konoha! And for you folks wondering just how I plan on getting Shizuka inside the seal with Naruto, well, that's my secret. Seriously, though, I'm more than open to suggestions if you guys and gals have any. We get to see Kyuubi and Kushina next chappy for REAL this time.**

**Oh, what fun that will be! XD**

**Poor Naruto, fainting at the thought of having mini Naruto's and Shizuka's running around!**

**I'm very pleased that this story seems to be a hit with most people. I also want to thank those readers who take the time to leave a review for the tale. They're very helpful in letting me know how the story is progressing with all of you. And they really do assist an author out in knowing what people like about a story. Thanks again to everyone for all of your support.**

**R&R! =D**


	4. Commitment Part III

**A/N: I return once agaaaain! I've been away for so long but now I have returned! I've been on a maddening updating spree, despite catching a few heartless flames because of, I'm resolved to continue it! When we last left our happy couple, thingsw ere just beginning to get under way in regards to Naruto's training. For anyone who's been out of touch, feel free to go back and reread the last three chapters to reacquaint yourselves. And on that note, I'm proud to present you with the next chapter...**

**...of Happily Ever After! Sorry if its short!**

_"I want lots of Grandbabies!"_

_~Kushina._

**Commitment III**

"I'm not letting you do this alone."

Naruto opened his eyes and exhaled, stifling the sudden swell of anger he felt at the declaration of one Shizuka of Nadeshiko. With a supreme effort he turned to face her, careful to pull a branch back for her passing as he did so. A small smile flitted across her face to reward him for his efforts-sending his heart hammerring for what felt like the upteenth time. The genin was about to offer one of his own, when he remembered, that he was _supposed_ to be angry with Shizuka. It didn't help him any. His reason?

She was _vehement_ that he not enter the Falls of Truth alone. Her reason, you ask? She had a bad feeling about it. A feeling! How the hell was he supposed to believe something like that! He needed facts, reasonable an certain. All this talk of him meeting his true self appeared to have rattled the kunoichi somehow; she kept stealing glances at him, shooting off those small smiles of her whenever her caught her staring. Naruto thought she was simply worrying too much and saw fit to express his feelings aloud.

"Like I said, I've got this." he repeated, peeling another harmful bough out of the way for her.

"You can keep telling me that all you wish, Naruto-kun," she replied, her hip brushing against him deliberately in passing, "but I've yet to see any proof of it." She stared at him for a long moment her dark eyes boring into his yes. "You cane be so stubborn somtimes. But then again...that's what I like about you." Her fingerstips trailed across his face, etching themselves into his whiskers and then she was gone. Passing him without so much as a backwards glance or a second thought. What's more; he couldn't tell if that had been deliberate/intentional or not. Shizuka...did she realize the effect she was having on him? Probably. She was a woman after all; she struck him as the type to take what she wanted, by force if neccessary.

Naruto stared after her retreating backside for a moment the scent of her hair still in his nose, mouth agape as he watched those slender hips sway, undulating with each motion. _There's nothing wrong with that, right? I mean, she does want to marry me after all so whats so wrong with staring...gah!_ A naughty thought entered his head, one he was unable to banish in time. _Damn you to hell Ero-sennin! You've corrupted me again! I hope you're happy!_

"Are you going to keep staring at my rear all day or are you going to follow me?" Shizuka's voice called ahead of him.

_"Aaargh!"_

They'd been going back and forth like this since setting foot on the island, moreso now as they made their way to the Falls of Truth. With Motoi serving as their guide they'd pressed on deep into the jungle the sound of roaring water growing steadily closer with each passing minute. Naruto's thoughts remained decidely elsewhere. On Shizuka. _Gah!_ He'd phrashed that wrong_...again!_ What was it about this girl that sent him into fits so? Why couldn't he take his eyes off her? He didn't know. This was only the second time he'd ever felt anything for someone, and _the first time _that someone had bothered to return his affections. He wasn't used to that in the slightest. The closest thing to affection he'd to affection had been when he'd allowed Sakura to hit him; patiently-and foolishly-enduring his teammate's abuse whenever she becamed irked with him.

_Shows what I know about romance,_ Naruto mused to himself.

But Shizuka was different. That much was becoming blatantly clear-even to someone as dense as he. She was patient where Sakura was impatient. Caring when the pinkette could be downright crass. Cunning while the latter was obtuse. With each passing second he continued to call into question his feelings for his teammate. He'd been doubting the feelings for awhile now, long before he'd met Shizuka, but the way she had looked at him back there-the way she smiled-the

Their kiss-kisses!-back on the ship was like an elephant in the room for him, too awkward to mention alouds, yet ever on his mind. He couldn't help but to imagine what it would be like to kiss her again-to taste her lips against his, to feel the breath hitch in her throat, to hear her whimper his name-

_Kami!_ he chastised himself._ Ecchi! Hentai! I'm such a pervert!_

He was having a great deal of difficulty rationializing such thoughts, not just because of his feelings for the Nadeshiko kunoichi but rather; despite all she'd said and done, Naruto felt he really didn't deserve someone so seflessly in love with him. Shizuka had, ever since their arrival upon the island-ever since he'd gone and fainted back on the boat-been most persistent at staying by his side and now he was slightly sad to see that shed decided to go on ahead of him. He hadn't minded having her around. If anything-that had given them more time to talk, to learn more about one another. Shizuka was a fascinating kunoichi-all the more reason, why he couldn't believe she wanted to marry him.

But now that she was only a few paces away, he suddenly found himself wanting to call out to her. Shaking his head, he raised his gaze from the forest floor-

And stopped short.

Shizuka was there, standing before him, an almost mournful expression on her lovely face.

"I'm sorry if I was so forceful with you." she apologized before he could even hope to open his mouth. "I just," she looked away, giving light to the soft flush filling her face. "Don't want anything to happen to you." Her words struck a cord in Naurto. There could be no other word for it. She didn't want anything to happen to him. Was Kami...playing some kind of sick joke on him...or something? Was this really happening? He'd grown accustomed to having friends and allies worry about him back in Konoha but this? This was another first. Once more he was struck by the realization that Shizuka actually cared for him. Really, truly, cared.

**"Idiot."** Naruto almost flinched as the Kyuubi's spiteful tone spat a thim. **"You're just _now_ noticing she loves you?"**

The blonde didn't have any response to that one; for the first time since he'd met him, there had actually been a grain of truth in the fox's words.

Finally, they'd been uttered.

"I...

Oh god. She wasn't going to say it, was she? She was!

"Naruto...I love you."

Her words unlocked the door into heart; he felt a million emotions roar through his mind.

"Shizuka, I-

He was cut off as her mouth struck his, her lips connecting with his ferociously. Something stirred within him at the sudden liplock, uttering a single, almost primal word.

_Mine._

His mind exploded into white as his body took control, arms spreading themselves across her back. He was so completely taken aback by her kiss that he hardly noticed when his left hand began to cup her firm ass and his right palm took up residence on her jaw. He deepened the kiss as he pressed his body against hers, pushing her back against the nearest tree. Her hands were just as explorative, her nimble fingertips running along his chest and stomach, sending tiny tingles of delight racing through his skin.

_Mine_!

Her tongue rolled against his, bringing with it the tastes of summer: berries dipped in cream, newly blooming roses and sultry midnights. He dipped lower still, face brushing against hers and she came alive in his arms; lurching up from the bed to meet him, wrapping her arms round his neck with a planitive cry. As focused on her as he was, he was able to follow her lead. When her tongue thrust, he knew to meet it. When her tongue retreated, he knew to chase it. He relished every new experience, growling with a sudden desire for more. More..._everything._

_MINE!_

Her fingers slicked through his hair, decadent sensations dancing over his scalp, tickling skin that had never before been touched by another's hands.

"Up?" An inquiry.

When she failed to immediately respond, Naruto cupped her bottom and lifted her, forcing her to straddle him, settle her weight against him. And oh, sweet heavens, _yes, _that was exactly what he'd needed. Pleasure rocketed through him, a beautiful sort of torture. She moaned into his mouth, her nails sinking into his scalp, as if to hold him in place. As if she worried he would try to get away. Never would he do such a thing. He was lost, tied only to the woman in his lap and glad for it. Except...

Except the new position was no longer the blessing he'd thought.

"Shizuka." He _hurt _and needed some kind of relief. But no matter how much he might want that, he couldn't bring himself to do something she wouldn't want. He just couldn't. Even though he barely knew her, he was barely able to control himself. After what had just happened, after what she'd just said, who could blame him? And Shizuka-the way she was looking at him set him afire. Naruto had never once thought of making love to someone before now but now, _now_, it was his only thought. His entire body tembled from the effort it took to restrain himself. Frankly, it was a miracle he hadn't lost his mind yet.

"Naruto."

Hearing his name on her lips, uttered so breathlessly, filled him with a sense of possession. _Mine._ And still, he held himself back. "Are you...alright?" He waited for her to respond. But she didn't and he had to flatten his hands on her hips to keep himself from trying to caress her everywhere at once. He knew without speaking that she would hate that. She was not a piece of meat to be ogled. She was a woman to be loved; someone in desperate need of that love. He would give it-try his best-if she asked. Yes, he would...

"Wait!" she all but yelped.

"What?" Naruto blinked, taken aback her words momentarily piercing the fog of lust clouding his mind. What did she mean by that? Oh. A tremor moved through her. A tremor of apprehension? _Oh._ Shizuka was afraid, of him, or if not him, than of something. _That won't do,_ his pleasure-addled mind mused. _That...won't do at all._ His hand moved seemingily of its own accord, reaching up to cup her cheek, guiding her face down to his own. Shizuka whimpered at the touch, the sound carrying in the air between them

He nuzzled his nose against hers, reveling in the warmth sensation that spread through his chest with the motion. Such a simple gesture, and yet he saw it put her almost immediately at ease. Her grip intensified upon him but this time it wasn't a jolt of fear that caused it but rather, desire.

"What's wrong?" he posed a question of his own. Shizuka's reply was to reach upwards to the knot holding her hair into ponytail. As Naruto looked on she undid it-releasing her raven locks from their captivity. The sight took his breath away. She'd looked stunning before with her hair bound up, but now with it down, and that ebony curtain framing his face...

_If I die now...I would be a happy man!_

"Much better." she purred, leaning into him. "Now, I want..."

Naruto stiffened as her hips pressed into his loins.

"W-What do you want, exactly?"

"I want...She squirmed a moment, restless in her intent. "You to rock into me." she said, clearly just as uncomfortable as he. "Please." A veritable plea. Naruto flushed.

"O-Okay." he sputtered. "All right. Yes."

Rock into..._yes._ As they kissed and kissed and kissed, he arched against her. Forward, back, seeking, retreating. Every point of contact wrung a groan from her and a growl from him. The pleasure blurred with pain, as unbearable as it was neccessary. How had gone without this for so long? How had he not known about this? This sense of connection...Naruto had never experienced its like and he cursed himself for never having tried to consider it before.

Her breasts smashed against his chest, causing a brand-new ache. He wanted to feel her against him, skin to skin, no barriers. He released her long enough to unzip his coat down the middle and jerk his arms free of the fabric, allowing what was left to flutter to the floor. He felt his face begin to burn as her eyes danced over his chest. He thought to do the same to Shizuka's garment; indeed, his fingers tigihtened around the hem of her shirt before he could think to stop them and began tearing free the fabric-

"So this is where the two of you where!"

The two teens jerked apart as they'd been _burned; _Shizuka shot a scathing glare at the party responsible. Naruto gulped.

"Y-Yamato-taichou?!"

"So _this_ is why you were lollygagging behind us," Yamato began slowly, leaning forwards with those dreaded eyes of doom. "This is the first time you've fooled with me...without a kage bunshin." If anything, his visage of death and doom became even more terrifying than before. "Naruto...I hope you're prepared for the consequences of taking advantage of your fiance...

"H-He wasn't taking advantage of anything, you insolent fool!" Shizuka bolted upright, her face flaming. "I was the one who kissed him!" Before Naruto could think to warn his fiance, she lashed out and shoved Yamato backwards, her gloved palms slapping off his chest. "And you _ruined _everything! Baka!"

That seemed bring Yamato up short, if only for a moment. The slow flushing of his face was like a growing forest fire, and for a splitsecond, Naruto feared an outburst. Surprisingly, the Jonin took a deep breath to calm himself; exhaling all his anger at once.

"V-Very well then!" he coughed into a fist. "If the two of you would like to get dressed, we'll continue this discussion...later." Something in his tone said they'd never broach this subject again. Ever. He would've laughed were he not so horridly embarassed.

"Alright, alright!" he groaned, slipping the upper half of his jumpsuit back on under the jonin's watchful eye. "I'm going! I said I'm going!" Grumbling, he allowed himself to be led on to the falls ahead. Motoi was waiting for them there; one look at his face revealed that he held no illusions as to what they'd been up to in the forest.

"Sit there and close your eyes, Naruto." Motoi instructed. "You will see your true self."

Naruto glanced at Shizuka.

"Well, here goes nothing!"

Readying himself for whatever lay ahead he sat down upon the inlet, took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

And opened them to a world changed.

His surroundings were very much unaltered; the only noticeable difference was that a thick mist had gathered around him. He was still facing the waterfall; a hazarded glance around him confirmed that Shizuka and the others were nowhere to be seen. Where was he? What had happened?

**"Worried about the bitch, eh?"**

Naruto's gaze jerked back to the falls, narrowing as something stirired on the other side of the water. A dark, opaque, humanoid shape became increasingly visible beyond the rushing waters. It strode towards him with a laugh; it was a deep, hoarse sound that had no business in belonging in a human. Who? What? When? Where? Why?

"Who the hell are you?!"

**"Me?"** The voice chortled bleakly.** "Why...I'm you. Your true self."** Imagine Naruto's surprise when he found himself gazing upon, well...himself! Cruel crimson eyes leered back at him in arrogant contempt, lopsided lips curvedup into a cruel, crass smile. His doppleganger strode forward to greet him, that snide expression never once leaving his visage.

That same smile suddenly slipped as his darker half peered at him, past him. Naruto thought he saw a touch of fear in those eyes. And then he could contain his curiosity no more; he too, turned to see what it was that had inspiried the flicker of his other self. His mouth hung agape as he recognized her. What in the world?!

"Shizuka?"

"So your true self thinks I'm a bitch, hmm?" The kunoichi mused, cracking her knuckles together. "I think we'll have to teach him a lesson."

The doppleganger blinked back at the scowling kunoichi, glanced at Naruto, then back to Shizuka once more. In the end there was no witty retort, no verbal repetorie to be uttered. In the face of his impending doom, it offered a single, solitary word.

_"Fuck."_

**A/N: As we see, all is not well in paradise. Naruto still wants to become Hokage; Shizuka, on the other hand, wants to bring him back to her village and marry him. They're far too stubborn to even consider the concept of compromise at this point...so, who knows where this will go? And as we see once again, Naruto continues to cast off his feelings for Sakura. I'm not trying to bash her here folks-its simply a matter of perspective. And it seems Shizuka was somehow transferred into the Falls of Truth with Naruto...god, I almost feel bad for his darker half! He's got a whooping coming here! **

**And with that, I'm off to work once more! Hope ya'll enjoyed the update! I sincerely look forward to your reviews on this steamy chapter when I return! **

**So in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview)**

_He felt the strength build along his arm, felt the power flowing through his fingertips. He felt the Rasenshuriken changing, the chakra warping and twisting condensing into an immutable pillar, a more sustainable form of energy for him to control_

_With an electric snap-hiss, the blade of wind and lightning burst into existence in his hand._

_"What in the world...?"_

Naruto held it in his hands and marveled at it.

* * *

><p><em>"Get away from him right now!"<em>

_Kyuubi bared his fangs in a sibilant snarl. His chakra control receded from Naruto momentarily, his attention divided between his host and the sudden intruder. A low, throaty chuckle erupted from the back of his throat as he swerved to face them._

_"And what good do you think you'll do, little girl?!"_

_"Girl?"_

_Naruto turned his head, blue eyes bulging as he saw the girl in question. A hard knot formed in his stomach, strangling his guts. Oh no. Oh no no no! No! What was she doing here?! More importantly, how was she here at all?! It shouldn't be possible! And yet there she stood with them in the seal, her chest heaving in defiance._

_"Shizuka?!"_

**R&R! =D**


	5. Commitment Part IV

**A/N: I return once agaaaain! I've been away for so long but now I have returned! I've been on a maddening updating spree, despite catching a few heartless flames because of, I'm resolved to continue it! When we last left our happy couple, things were just beginning to get under way in regards to Naruto's training. For anyone who's been out of touch, feel free to go back and reread the last three chapters to reacquaint yourselves. And on that note, I'm proud to present you with the next chapter...**

**...of Happily Ever After! Sorry if its short!**

_"Instinct! Pure and simple!"_

_~?_

**Commitment IV**

The one who had attacked Naruto was a girl. Her cruel crimson eyes leered back at him in arrogant contempt, lopsided lips curved up into a cruel, crass smile. This girl had fair-skin and sported a noticeably curvaceous frame and large bust. She had waist-length black hair in a hime-style tied in a high ponytail with short bangs and chin-length strands framing her face. Behind her bangs was a black forehead protector with the symbol of a flower on it worn by all the kunoichi in her village, contrasted by the form-fitting uniform that was grey-colored with a right shoulder-armor, grey gloves, and an opening in her shirt which revealed her cleavage. In the blink of an eye Naruto knew her, this woman who had abmushed him.

_Shizuka?_

But no, it wasn't her. It wasn't _his_ Shizuka. He could tell that much just by looking.

Where Shizuka was patient, this one was impatient. Caring when this one was probably downright crass. Cunning while this Shizuka was obtuse. And those eyes...His own doppelganger bore those very same ebony and crimson eyes. He grit his teeth. Figures. The waterfall generated his own twisted double, so who was to say it couldn't do that to _multiple_ people?

**"Yo, cunt!"** Dark Shizuka shouted. Shizuka looked over, annoyed at being called that, only for her eyes to widen at the sight of her own mimic. They became fearful at the sight of whom she held in her grasp.

**"Back. Off."** Dark Shizuka ordered.

Instead, the real Shizuka grabbed Dark Naruto and held him with his arm twisted behind his back the same way her copy was to her fiancé. Stalemate. Mirrored by the shinobi and their doubles.

**"Well...this is interesting. She won't let me go until MY Shizuka releases you, and She won't let YOU go until your Shizuka releases me. Heh. So while we'er like this, mind answering a question, goodie-goodie?"** Dark Naruto said, actually amused.

Naruto shrugged as best he could "Might as well...shoot."

**"What do you think the difference between the king and his horse is? I'm not talking about some kiddy shit like 'one is a man and the other is a horse' or 'one has two legs and the other has four! If there were two beings with exactly same appearance, abilities and powers, and if one of them becomes the king and dominates the fight, while the other becomes the horse and carries the king, what do you think the difference between the two is?!"** Dark Naruto sneered.

Naruto already knew the answer."There's only one answer to a question like that..."

Dark Naruto smirked at his counterpart's words. **"Yeah...INSTINCT! What the being with the same power needs in order to achieve a greater power, what the one to become the king needs is that absolute lust for battle which seeks fight and desires power, shattering the enemy and destroying it without mercy! I mean that instinct for slaughter carved deep inside ourselves and sharpened completely!That's what you don't have! Any of that raw instinct! Just who are you going to slash with a sheathed sword?!"**

Naruto frowned.

"Oh please, If I lacked that, then YOU wouldn't exist. Need I remind you I almost ended up the way Gaara used to be, but if I did, I'd be no better than Sasuke. And he's so obsessed with the darkness that Itachi went from being to who he wanted to kill to being why he wants to kill all because he chose to be trapped in the past-leaving his body as all that exists in the present. Rather than forgiving and forgetting about the past and moving forward with his life. Sasuke's my polar opposite, I aknowlaged that at Tetsu no Kuni. It's not that I don't have the raw instinct, it's that I choose not to employ it. Unlike Sasuke, I acknowledge the fact that a king is to be for the people. There can't be a king without his people since a king is no king without his people to lead. But people without a king are lost as well. Besides...if you really are a dark reflection of my own heart, then you know more than anyone else alive how I hate being alone."

**"Meh...I'll give you that."** Dark Naruto begrudgingly acknowledged.

Dark Shizuka looked like she had swallowed her own vomit at that **"You're actually _ACCEPTING_ that?! I thought you hated this bleeding soft heart baka?!" **

Dark Naruto nodded to his own Shizuka. **"I do. But there's no real way to deny that without making myself useless...besides I have a question for _him_,"** he said before turning to Naruto.

**"What would you do if Sasuke's blade was pointed at _her_?"** he asked, jerking his head at the woman restraining him. At that, Naruto's eyes flashed crimson with slitted pupils.

"I'd most likely need to be restrained...from the inside ou,t using my own chakra network and have someone else take over the fight, because I wouldn't be as gentle." Dark Naruto laughed. So Kurama would be more benevolent to an Uchiha than Naruto would be to anyone who threatened Shizuka?! He loved it! He nodded to the negitive side of Naruto's fiance, who shoved Naruto away, causing the kunoichi of Nadeshiko to do the same and both Narutos went to their respective Shizukas.

_"Enbu: Ni no Dan!"_

As Naruto heard the name of Shizuka's attack, he whipped around and immediately saw that both their dark sides weren't aiming for him. _'Wait, if they're not trying to hit me then…NO!'_ Naruto wondered for only a moment before his eyes widened and he quickly dove forward, knocking Shizuka to the ground, his back to their copies. Shizuka felt warm liquid hit her face and looked up to see something that horrified her: Not only had Dark Shizuka used the Enbu: Ni no Dan, but Dark Naruto had also used several demon wind shuriken and they hadn't hurt her because Naruto had shielded her with his own body, the weapons riddled his back.

Then they heard it; the sizzling hisses.

Naruto shoved the kunoichi away from him a split-second before the paper bombs attached to the kunai and shriken stuck into his back all went off.

Naruto's entire back was one massive burn scar with shrapnel littering around him and in his back.

"Shi...Shizuka-chan...are you...all right?" He asked.

She couldn't find her voice. She was too horrified. Too utterly stunned to be able to speak. Naruto had taken that kind of thing without a second thought even though it could have easily killed him, and he was worried about _her_?!

"I'm fine...but Naruto...you...!" She sputtered at last, glaring with utter loathing at the two duplicates.

Naruto gave her a pained smile. "You're ok? That's good." then he looked over his shoulder and glared.

"Now...as for you two...!" He forced himself to his feet and turned around, too angry to feel much pain, anger that they had dared to put Shizuka into the crosshairs like that. With a snarl that actually caused their dark haves to step back, Naruto rushed forward, intent on vengence.

Then something happened that the tiro watching the injured konoha shinobi didn't expect happened. The other three watched as steam seemed to pour out and encircle the blonde. Following this chakra as red as blood and hot as flames burst out from the boy blowing the steam away and taking its place surrounding the two before shooting into the air forming a spiral.

Shizuka recoiled a half-step as the chakra seemed to form the head of a grinning kitsune. As the energy coursed through him, Naruto could feel the changes taking place. He now sported what looked like claws on both his hands and feet. His canine's had also lengthened and turned into fangs while his whisker-marks grew more pronounced, growing wider and darker until they resembled abysmal scars. His eyes had been the greatest change as his once soulful blue eyes had changed becoming blood red with an animalistic black slit for the pupil.

If he didn't look so abominably scary at that moment, Shizuka might even say that he looked...hot.

Naruto's arm jerked and cut across his dark half's throat as if clotheslining him when his body stddenly stopped. There could be no other word for it. It felt as though an invisible weight had settled over his shoulders-as it his body suddenly weighted a ton. Any attempts on his part to move were rendered inconsequentil, reduced to mere twitches as his dark half looked on.

Abruptly, Dark Naruto's eyes glazed over.

**"Okay..._alright_ I get it..."** he muttered, as if talking to someone else, before turning to Dark Shikuka with a grin that could make the devil himself piss his pants. **"Gotta go back...don't worry...there'll be a round two, but we're being let go for now. C'mon."** The pair turned and retreated back into the downward spray of water behind them, Dark Naruto's hand resting possessively on Dark Shizuka's ass.

Seeing the targets of his wrath gone, Naruto hissed a curse, the demonic shroud dissipating from his body like so much steam. He'd drawn on that cursed power again...and for what? Nothing. Even here in his mind, he hadn't been able to do anything. Anything at all. He only realized the consequences of tapping into the fox's power when Shizuka's voice reached his ears.

"Naruto-kun...what was _THAT_?"

_Shit!_

The blonde froze, all too aware of the blackette's gaze pinnioning him. Rooting him where he stood. Right, he reminded himself. She didn't know about the Kyuubi. He was also aware of the abrupt departure from his mindscape; he could see Yamato and Motoi standing behind them in complete silence, pointedly facing in the other direction. Just as he could see Shizuka's hand on his shoulder, feel her fingers biting down hard into his skin. Well...that expilained how she'd been able to appear within the Falls of Truth beside him. Must've been some sort of transference or something...ulp! A spike of killer intent sent his attention swinging back to his beloved; Shizuka didn't appreciate being ignored, however briefly.

"Erm...what was what, Shizuka-chan?"

He had no further time for thought as his fiance yanked him up by the scruff of his jacket. Her grip wasn't like Sakura's, not painful or imposing, just...firm. He had that succint impression before the kunoichi looked him square in the eye, hoisted him to his feet, and uttered two words.

"Explain." she demanded. "Now."

Without another word, she dragged him off into the evening.

* * *

><p><em>(One lengthy explanation later...)<em>

There was a lofty silence as Uzumaki Naruto finished his tale; told his soon-to-be fiance the truth of who he was. He braced himself for the worst; waited for the shock to abate, and the anger to set in, wipe away all the kinds words and soft touches between them. And so he watched. And he waited.

Shizuka could barely believe what she'd been told. A jinchuuriki. Naruto was a jinchuuriki.

She hugged herself tightly, eyes closed, breath fogging in the cold night air as she tilted her head up towards the cloudy, smoke-laden sky. It had rained earlier; the droplets had been like acrid _acid_ on her skin. She felt drained and hollow, as though a black well had swallowed up everything she had once been, leaving only shame and anguish and a terrible, leaden feeling of fatigue deep within her bones. An ache in her heart to match the pain in her head. Pain from knowing that there was side of herself she daren't face; an ache that he'd kept this from her.

And then there was the terrible knowledge that he held a monster inside of him. But...no...

...wait.

_Naruto_ wasn't a monster. Shizuka had seen enough of cruelty and kindness in her lifetime, even within the bounds of Nadeshiko, to know this to be true. Her fiance of only a few days she knew, didn't have a cruel bone in his body. He had his flaws, of course, everyone did, but despite that, despite all he'd suffered during childhood, he worked so _hard_ to make up for them-to prove himself worthy to the world. It would be a lesser place without his determination, drive, and all-consuming kindness. And what had the world given him for it? Nothing. It wasn't until he has saved his own village from Pain that he'd gotten any sort of respect, the kind he so rightfully deserved. If Shizuka could have endured such suffering in his stead she would have gladly done so.

"Well?" Naruto asked.

"I...see." she relinquished at last. "And you didn't tell me this earlier because?"

"'Cuz there wasn't any need to?" her fiance ventured, his reply sounding rather lame to her ears. "Besides, I thought if you knew, well...ya know." There it was. That hesitation again. It set Shizuka's teeth on edge and blood to boiling.

_"Is that all?" _her voice rose and fell like a whip. "You kept quiet because you didn't want to hurt my _feelings?"_

Naruto couldn't help it. He litterally facepalmed so hard his face hit the dirt.

"Shizuka-" he began.

"-is being _very_ understanding with you-"

"I know." he had the good grace to at least _appear_ chastised at her remark. "But that's just it. You _don't_ understand. I came to this island to gain control of the Kyuubi and I still mean to do that." His eyes hardened, as though he were experiencing an awful memory. "Were I to hurt you..."

"I've heard of jinchuuriki before." the kunoichi remained steadfast. "I even met one, once. And I knew then, as I know now; you aren't a monster merely for what you have inside of you. And besides...

"Besides?" he froze up, almost cringing aside as her hand rose to cup his cheek.

"You're far too caring." she was saying, her voice at once distant and thick with emotion.

She wasn't entirely sure what caused him to kiss her then; only that he did. Whether it was those kind words, or the perhaps her touch, or, even the sentiment in her eyes. Shizuka couldn't fathom the who, what, when where or why of his actions, only that they occurred with a mind-numbing insenity. All thoughts of conversation were blown away. There was only his mouth molding to hers, tongue tangling within her own, body, down against her, driving her body against the tree. A smally cry fled from her lips as his hands dug into her shoulders, fingers biting down with enough strength to bruise. And izuka. Shliked it.

His response caught her flatfooted; she could see as much in his his eyes. When at last they pulled away for breath, she was left visibly gasping.

"I'm...sorry?" he tried.

She kissed him again, the lightest of brushes upon the lips, nothing more.

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Still, you were right." He wouldn't look her in the eye, Naruto would should have told me before."

"I hate to interrupt," Yamoto began, "But the fact remains that you can't control anything, Naruto, unless you master your darker half. The same implies for you, Shizuka." Now the kunoichi had been thinking about just that, and while she didn't _have _to conquer herself, it remained that this "other" her had hurt Naruto. That could not stand. Would not stand.

"Oh, we _will_ learn." she felt, rather than saw he rlips curl up in a reply. "If I cannot defeat my doppleganger, and Naruto cannot defeat his...

_...then we'll simply defeat one another."_

* * *

><p><em>'Is what she said, but what did she <strong>mean?'<strong>_ Naruto wondered hours later.

Soon, with the lights out in their room, Naruto lay in his hamock and had to admit this was indeed quite possibly the most uncomfortable thing upon which he had ever been. He expected that slumber would be quick in coming to him; it certainly had been to Yamato, Aoba and the others-whose regular breathing and slight snoring-courtesy of Guy himself-could attest. By all means he should be snoring himself; after his long discussion with Shizuka he'd been bone tired, and then she decided to show him each and every jutsu he knew, leaving him aching in places he didn't even know he had. In addition to helping him change one of his own...

Yes, he should most definitely be asleep by now...

* * *

><p><em>(Flashback)<em>

_"This is a bad idea." Naruto was saying. "A very bad idea. Did I mention this was a bad idea?"_

_"Yes, you did." Shizuka _

_"Look, I can't possibly make my Rasenshuriken much stronger than it already is. Bigger, maybe, but-_

_"I'm not asking you too." she replied, her face stern." "I'm asking you to try something _

_He felt the strength build along his arm, felt the power flowing through his fingertips. He felt the Rasenshuriken changing, the chakra warping and twisting condensing into an immutable pillar, a more sustainable form of energy for him to control._

_With an electric snap-hiss, the blade of wind and lightning burst into existence in his hand, extending a few feet out from his arm._

_Naruto held it in his hands and marveled at it._

_"What in the world...?"_

_(End Flashback)_

* * *

><p>But he was wrong.<p>

Instead, he lay there, staring into the darkness, unable to get Shizuka out of his mind. He kept summoning up his memories of her, not just of their talk, but of other things as well. Of their kisses; recollection of his lips against her, of the firmness of her body as his hands had caressed her. She'd accepted him too, accepted the knowledge that he bore the Kyuubi without any hesitation. There hadn't even been so much as a glimmer of fear in her eyes once she realized he was a jinchuuriki. No one had accepted him that readily. Not Iruka-sensei, and certainly not Sakura. He was starting to think he wouldn't be getting any sleep at all tonight; his body felt like it had too much blood in it. And then, just when he thought he'd resolved himself to said sleeplessness, there was a soft creak at the door.

He turned in the bed, looked, and gawped.

Shizuka apparently took after old tendencies in one particular aspect: She tended to look good standing in doorways.

She was, however, significantly less clothed than he. She was wearing a simple white shift_-unbelievably, entirely simple-_and somehow, in the dimness of the hall light, it was practically translucent. Naruto could see the entire outline beneath it.

Shizuka said nothing. She simply stood there, allowing him to drink her in. He abruptly realized he had stopped breathing. He knew his heart was still beating because he could feel it thudding against his chest, hear the blood pumping in her ears. Then, ever so slightly, cheeks aflushing, she beckoned for him to follow, giving the slightest nod, before turning and walking away with that uncanny noisielessness she had no doubt inherited from her Nadeshiko roots. Naruto watched her go, the soft footfalls of her bare feet slowly padding back down the hall and out of earshot.

_You can't. You don't dare. You stay right here and just forget about-_

His feet were on the floor almost before his brain had a chance to emphasize to him the importance of staying in bed. His chest was bare as well; he was clad only in some breeches and slacks he'd managed to fish out of one wardrobe. Guy lifted his head in lazy confusion at the sudden movement but, seeing no imminent danger, yawned and plopped his head back down.

The floor was cold beneath his bare feet.

_ He followed her down the hall in a daze, trailing after her, lead on by the sight of her white shift rounding one corner and the next and the next and STILL the next until he finally arrived at his destination. When at last he reached her room, the door all but slammed shut on his back, jarring him those fateful steps forward into the candlelight room. To her. Shikzuka was waiting for him there. "Come to bed with me."_

"W-W-W-What?!"

"I-It's only normal for us to share the same bed!" Shizuka sputtered. "We're going to be married after all...

Naruto's sweatdrop was barely concealed._ Oi oi...Shizuka-chan? I haven't agreed to anything yet!_

She dropped the shift, exposing herself in the dark. Before he could say anything else, before he could even admire her startling alabaster skin, nor her naked form in the candlelight, her lips were his. So too was her mouth and her body, every inch pressing into him, driving back to the bed until...there was only the two of them and warmth and flesh and nothing else existed in this world...

* * *

><p><strong>AN: As we see, all is not well in paradise. Naruto still wants to become Hokage; Shizuka, on the other hand, wants to bring him back to her village and marry him. They're far too stubborn to even _consider_ the concept of compromise at this point...so, who knows where this will go? And as we see once again, Naruto continues to cast off his feelings for Sakura. I'm not trying to bash her here folks-its simply a matter of perspective. And it seems Shizuka and Naruto have finally done it. Hope to see kids running around soon! Bahahaha! Sorry ablyout the Kyuubi bit, I felt it better to save it for the NEXT chapter, when we see the action we've all been dying to see!**

**And with that, I'm off to work once more! Hope ya'll enjoyed the update! I sincerely look forward to your reviews on this steamy chapter when I return! **

**So in the immortal words of Atlas...**

**...review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview)**

**R&R! =D**


	6. Commitment V

**A/N: Alright ladies and gentlmen, good news and bad news. Good news first. I'm done with surgery-hurts like hell!-and I managed to put this up here at points between the forced anesthetic. Bad news is I have a road of recovery ehead Still, I'm feeling a bit better now. Really. ****I'm hanging tough though, having just come out of the woods and whatnot! UUGH! I'm on painkillers almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But I'm hanging tough, despite having a small heart attack the other day. God, that was NOT fun!**

**Anywho...here it is. ****Thank you all for you support, and here's hoping I make it through the rest of my surgeries! *Raises glass in a toast* Long live Fanfiction! Hopefully I'll at least live long enuff to writ some more stuff! And just in case my health goes south...I hope you enjoy my works for all time! That aside, I was inspired to write something fluffy this time...hope I got everyone's character right! And on another note...**

**...sorry if its short, but I wanted to at least get SOMETHING out for this story, considering my health woes.**

_"Heeeeh?! So this is your fiance, dattebane?!"_

_~Uzumaki Kushina!_

**Commitment V**

_"Mornin'."_

Blue eyes fluttered open to the sound of an angel's voice and the face of a goddess, mere inches from his own. Something incredibly soft was pressed against him beneath the covers and in that instant he realized with utter surety that he was completely and unequicovally naked. That, and this wasn't his room, nor this his bed. Also, there was a woman in said bed.

"Naruto-kun...

_Shizuka._

The memories of last night crashed down around his ears. Shizuka in the doorway. Following her to the room. Removing her shawl. Blowing out the candle. Her lips on his. Surprise leapt to the forefront of his mind only to be stubbornly quashed beneath his better judgement. Now was not the time to jump up out of bed and start screaming; all this, had come about of his own volition. And surprisingly, he regretted none of it. He'd had his first time with a woman and it had been...wonderful.

Perhaps it was the feel of her body against his, skin to skin beneath the satin sheets. Perhaps it was the curtain of ebony that was her hair tickling at the bridge of his nose. Perhaps it was-and most likely-the way she'd cooed his name just now. Whatever the case he found himself smiling, extricating an arm from the coccoon of warmth to touch her darling face.

"Hey." he murmurred, stroking her hair. "Sleep well?"

"Hmm." Shizuka smiled and nuzzled her face into his palm as she snuggled into him, her body spooning against his. "Yes. You?"

"Yeah." So many emotions were conveyed in those choice words between them. It sounded silly, but he simply didn't have to speak to know what she was thinking. She wore pure bliss like a second skin, contentment a hairsbreadth away from his face.

"Last night was...

...amazing." she finished with a pleasant purr, looking very much like a contented kitten in his arms. Unbidden, a trickle of blood wormed its way down his nose. Naruto silently swore. _Damn you, Ero-Senin!_ Actually he wanted to _thank _his mentor; his actions of years past having culminated in this very moment. If Jiraiya hadn't fought that kunoichi all those years ago, if he hadn't made that promise...

Naruto shuddered to think of what might have happened. They never would have met.

_"Heeeeh?" _A soft voice that did NOT belong to the Kyuubi suddenly whispered in his mind._ 'So this is your fiance, dattebane?' _It took every fiber of his being not to start in surprise.

The hell was that?

"M' sleepy." Shizuka yawned suddenly -so godamn cute!- laying her head upon his chest. Naruto felt his member stiffen in anticipation, but he contented himself to a yawn of his own.

"Guess

He had just consigned himself to sleep once more when all hell broke loose.

_"MERCIFUL KAMI ABOVE AND BELOW!"_

Naruto started awake aggain with a terrible jolt, blue eyes abulging as the door to Shizuka's room flung itself open, nearly leaping off its hinges against the shout of dismay. Shizuka herself was a great deal slower to wake, those eerie dark eyes scrunching with annoyance, then anger as she held him tighter, a lustful moan/groan escaping her lips as she nestled her still-naked body deeper into her beloved's embrace. Little did she know that she was the only thing holding him down, preventing him from fleeing the room and escaping from the rage-filled jonin towering in their doorway.

Then she noticed the Mokuton wielder towering above them.

Now, it could certainly be said that Yamato was a patient man, all things considered. He had suffered through Naruto's antics more times than a man could count; time after time he had reigned the impulsive blond out of trouble, or prevented him from doing something foolish or worse, an act he'd forever regret. Hell, he had even endured a prank or two for crying out loud! But this_...THIS!_ One look at the mated pair told him that no regrets remained between them; they'd gone all the way last night without a second thought for the consequences.

Something on Shizuka's blissful visage told him she hadn't tried to use any manner of contraceptives, either.

Which meant there was a possibility however slim, that within the next few days, she might be carrying a child. _Naruto's child._ Had they any idea what this meant?! If Shizuka was pregnant-kami forbid!-then that would not only cause the elders to raise a stink back in the village, but made her potential leverage to be used against him. Naruto's heart might've been the right place, but he needed to think these things through! Whethers he liked it or not!

"Naruto," the jonin-sensei cracked his knuckles menacingly, his look of demonic doom out in full force as he beheld the two naked teenagers before him. "I certainly hope you enjoyed yourself last night - because it just might be your last! Pepare yourself for the consequences!"

"Wait a second!" the blond sputtered, not understanding. "How the hell is this my fault?!"

_"Perhaps I should educate you?!"_

"Oh, Yamato-san...

The jonin whirled on the new voice.

"Yes, what is it Shizuka-saaaaaah...ah...AH!"

Suddenly, it was the jonin's turn to blanch. Shizuka had _that_ look in her eye, radiating an aura of female menace that would've put Sakura Haruno to shame. Actually, the pinkette probably would've gotten down on a knee and begged the Nadeshiko kunoichi to teach her the art of such intimidation. Hell, even Tsunade-sama could learn a thing or two from that! He found himself inexplicably helpless before that look in her eye, nigh but immoble as the blackette rose from her place at Naruto's side. The look in her eyes spelled doom for the poor man...one she readily inflicted!

_"YOU RUINED THE MORNING AFTER!"_

With only a single sheet to cover her lady parts, the kunoichi somehow leapt out of her bed and sent the offending shinobi flying from their room with a single punch. His body struck the wall with a dull crunch and then beyond sending him tumbling out to the forest beyond. Needless to say, the jonin folded like a wet paper bag upon striking a tree; he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Naruto gawped, yet at the sime time-he'd felt oddly proud to see his girl send the offending joning flying with a single strike.

_Holy shit._ He blinked, realizing the thought. _Shizuka-chan really IS my girl. I mean after all that...what else could she be? Still...I'm not too sure about this whole fiance/wife thing. _He spared another glance at the hole his beloved had made, and contemplated._ But would it really be so bad? I mean...she stood by after learning about the Kyuubi...that's definitely wife material right there! Sakura's gonna flip when she hears about this..._

"I can't believe you just did that." he murmurred, glancing once more at the crack of dalyight worming its way into the room.

Shizuka sent him a smoldering glance, twinged with amusement as she turned to meet him.

"Problem?"

"Nope." the blond would've said more but she was giving him that a very strange look. Her eyes half-lidded, mouth slightly parted, tongue flitting between her lips as those dark orbs ghosted over him. A pleasured haze overtook his thoughts almost immediately. Virgin though he might no longer be, sometimes his own libido surprised him. His mouth went dry with want

A lone eyebrow lifted in surprise, only to demur seconds thereafter.

"Gladly. Now that he's out of the way," Shizuka purred, closing the door on the opening she'd created, "Where were we?" Before he could reply she dropped the sheet. Naruto gulped audibly, his heart leaping right back into his throat as she sidled sidled up to him, the curves of her body meeting with the angle of his in such smooth symetry that he nearly wept with bliss. Sakura? Who the hell was that? In this instant he only had eyes for the raven-haired beauty warming his bed. It was as if his body had been hijacked; all reason simply ceased to be.

His hands ghosted over her pale skin, silently savoring in the shivers that his touch evoked.

"Na-Naruto!" she gasped. "Wait! I wanted to talk...about Nadeshiko...

Not this again!

"Do we have to?" He nipped at her, neck, drawing another shudder

Shizuka must've seen his pained expression, because she chose to press the issue.

"Yes. I can't just go back with you, no matter what you say...

A defiant glint entered the blonde's eye.

"Hey! I can be very persuasive' ttebayo!" he drew a hand to her inner thigh.

"Well that depends," Shizuka whispered breathlessly, exhilarated yet exhausted, eyes alight in eagerness as his hands descended to that sensitive bundle of nerves. "I'd take someone _awfully_ nice, to convince me to do something like... OooOOOoOOooooHHhh!"

The rest of her words trailed off into a pleasured purr and there was no more talk of villages or alliance that morning.

* * *

><p>"Sooo...are you sure this'll work?"<p>

Naruto regarded the Falls of Truth balefully. He already had unpleasant memories of this place. In another world he would've learned to master his darker half on his own. But with Shizuka...

In the end, he needn't have feared anything.

Scarce had the two of them sat down then they stood up again. Motoi blinked, baffled.

"What happened?"

"Wow." Naruto balked. "That was...

...really easy!"

**A/N: I can't believe I actually wrote this. The idea came to me while I was at work; I Well, this short little chapter is what came out of it; the changes that follow this victory may be subtle at first, but will soon be all but be massive in scope! Hope you enjoy all that is to come! We'll see their little fight next chappy! Promise! It'll be a long one! Look forward to it, ya know!**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, would you kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview!)**

_Naruto stiffened in awe at the sight of her; this red-headed woman that had appeared to him in the seal. Beside him Shizuka looked to be in equal parts shock and surprise, not sure what to make of this newcomer. The roars of the Kyuubi still raged around them but he could not touch them, the three of them were in their own little word._

_"So, you're my son's fiance 'ttebane?" she smiled mischeviously. "Good. I was afraid you'd end up with that Sakura girl." _

_"W-W-W-What?!" Naruto choked. "Oi, are you-_

_"Baka!"_

_"Itai!" Naruto yelped on instinct; his eyes fluttering open to realize there hadn't been any pain._

_Shizuka silently avowed to find this "Sakura" and give her a piece of her mind when this was all said and done._

_Ignoring their confusion, the woman drew both of them into a big hug. "Well, just let me say this."_

_"I WANT LOTS OF GRANDBABIES!"_

_There was a silence. And then:_

_"HAH?!"_

**R&R! =D**


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